Authentic Assessment and ESL Students: Story Retelling

Question: What can be learned by having students retell the stories they have read?

Answer/Quote: “Teachers can…ask students to retell what they have read. Teachers have a story map in front of them, and quickly check off the points that students make as they retell (Morrow, 1989). A simple story map typically includes headings that focus on the story setting (time, place, and principal characters), the problem…, initiating event, plot events or episodes, and resolution….” P. 194.

“If students have varied from the story in the retelling teachers can review the story with students in order to understand what precipitated the deviation.” P. 194.

Comment: I see nothing wrong with showing the students ahead of time the elements emphasized in the story map and to take them through a sample retelling as a group. RayS.

Title: “Assessing the Literacy Development of Second-Language Students: A Focus on Authentic Assessment.” Georgia Earnest Garcia, pp. 180-205.  In Kids Come in All Languages: Reading Instruction for ESL Students. Eds. K Spangensberg-Urgschat and R Pritchard. Newark, DE: IRA. 1994.